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Car Rental - Northampton
The historic town of Northampton lies on the River Nene in the East Midlands region of England. It’s home to a popular university and vibrant cultural scene and enjoys excellent road links to major cities such as London and Birmingham. These connections make it the perfect destination for business travelers and leisurely vacationers alike.
Whatever the reason for your visit a Hertz car rental is the ideal way to get around during your trip. We have collection points around the city, including at Northampton railway station, so if you’re arriving by train, it’s easy to pick up your vehicle when you arrive.
When you rent a car in Northampton with us, you can rest assured that there are no hidden charges, and our best price guarantee makes sure you have the best price for your rental car – if you find a cheaper Hertz price while in Northampton, we’ll refund the difference.
Northampton Locations
A Quick Guide to Northampton
Northampton is home to many attractions, including parks, impressive architecture and museums. There’s plenty to see and do both in the town and beyond, and renting a vehicle for your stay opens up the possibility of visiting some other great destinations during your time in England.
Culture and History
One of Northampton’s most popular attractions is Castle Ashby Gardens, a 35-acre site surrounding the stately home of the same name. The site boasts parkland designed by the famous landscape gardener Capability Brown, as well as an orangery and arboretum. Parking is available on site for your Northampton car rental and the gardens are open all year round, except in extreme weather conditions.
Northampton is home to the only house in England designed by the famous Scottish artist and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. This distinctive property at 78 Derngate is open to the public every day except Monday and UK Bank Holidays, so it’s possible to see the work of this visionary artist in its original setting. Inside the house, you’ll also find a boutique restaurant where you can enjoy sandwiches and afternoon tea.
The oldest park in Northampton, Abington Park, is an excellent family day out with sports facilities, peaceful gardens and lakes where you can admire the scenery. The park is also home to Abington Park Museum, situated in a 500-year-old manor house building.
Here you can learn all about the history of Northampton, including its military heritage, through a fascinating collection of articles and photographs.
A Day at the Races
If you want to visit some of the biggest sporting attractions in the UK, Northampton is the ideal starting point. Just 15 miles south of the city, you’ll find Silverstone race circuit, home to the British Grand Prix.
This highlight of the motor racing calendar takes place every summer, but if you’re not lucky enough to see the race, you can still enjoy visiting the circuit and take a behind-the-scenes tour of the world-famous track. Official parking is available onsite for your rental car, too.
Discover an Enigma
Just over 20 miles south of Northampton, via the M1 motorway, you’ll find one of the most important heritage sites in England. Bletchley Park, not far from Milton Keynes, was home to a team of codebreakers who played a crucial role in the Allied victory in World War II. They cracked German Enigma codes in an operation so top secret that it was only revealed to the British public in the 1970s.
Today, the Bletchley Park estate has been transformed into a fascinating museum where you can take a tour of the codebreaking huts and learn all about the men and women who worked here. The park is open to visitors almost all year round, with tickets available to reserve online or purchase on the day of your visit. Free parking is available here for your car rental.
Renting a car for your visit to Northampton opens up the possibility to explore all this and more during your time in England.
Driving In and Around Northampton
Northampton is an excellent base for exploring the East Midlands region of England, thanks to its location near the M1 motorway – one of the major highways running from the south of the country to the north. Traveling southbound along the motorway from Northampton in your rental car provides access to important business destinations such as Milton Keynes and Watford.
Northampton is also connected to other towns in the east of England via a network of main A-roads, with the historic university city of Cambridge just over 50 miles away along the A14 and A45.
The nearest airports to Northampton are Birmingham International Airport, just under 50 miles away along the M45, and London Luton Airport, some 40 miles south along the M1. If you are arriving in Northampton by rail, you’ll find the train station is located right in the center, close to the A5095, one of the main roads running through the town.
The roads around Northampton are well-maintained with clear road signs, but if you are planning to drive your car rental along the M1, be aware this is an important commuter route that can get busy during the morning and evening rush hours.
If you’re driving into London from Northampton, it’s also worth noting that many areas of the city center are covered by a congestion charge from which rental cars are not exempt.
When driving in the UK, unlike mainland Europe, you need to use the left-hand side of the road and overtake vehicles on the right. The national speed limit on motorways is 70mph, although this can be variable. On main roads out of built-up areas, it’s usually 60mph, dropping to 30mph inside.
